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CNN Live At Daybreak

New Year's in Iraq

Aired December 31, 2003 - 06:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the situation in Iraq. Troops there will likely spend less time toasting in the new year and more time worrying about violence, like today's gunfire between Iraqi police and protestors in Kirkuk.
Our Alphonso Van Marsh is in Tikrit. He joins us live via videophone with the latest.

Good morning.

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, and happy New Year to you.

You have to say that New Year's Eve celebrations are coming a little bit early here in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. Behind me, forward operating base Raider, home to the 1st Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, they'll be hosting what's called a patch ceremony. That's for troops that have served in what the U.S. military calls Operation Iraqi Freedom. Local Iraqis are doing their part for the outdoor preparations earlier on today.

Soldiers that spend some 30 days in Iraq qualify to wear the dark green and brown combat patch on their right shoulder.

Now, technically, it's just more of a formality. The U.S. military likes to hold this tradition, this combat patch ceremony, during every conflict or every war. The commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, Raymond Ordierno (ph), is expected to attend, and the man who helped lead the raid that caught Saddam Hussein, Colonel James Hickey (ph), is expected to speak to the troops here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And there was new violence earlier today, wasn't there, Alphonso? Can you tell us more about that?

VAN MARSH: Well, I can tell you more about preparations here in Tikrit. It's -- you have to keep in mind that this infantry division here, this forward operating base at Raider Base, is actually about an hour or so -- or an hour and a half, I should say, north of Baghdad. It's been rather isolated here today, not a lot of news about different types of violence and what-not going on.

But there is a lot of talk about this combat patch -- for U.S. soldiers that have survived the violence, that have been here more than 30 days, being able to get that combat patch that they'll wear on their right shoulder, and when they go back home being able to show it off -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Alphonso Van Marsh reporting live from Tikrit.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired December 31, 2003 - 06:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the situation in Iraq. Troops there will likely spend less time toasting in the new year and more time worrying about violence, like today's gunfire between Iraqi police and protestors in Kirkuk.
Our Alphonso Van Marsh is in Tikrit. He joins us live via videophone with the latest.

Good morning.

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, and happy New Year to you.

You have to say that New Year's Eve celebrations are coming a little bit early here in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit. Behind me, forward operating base Raider, home to the 1st Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, they'll be hosting what's called a patch ceremony. That's for troops that have served in what the U.S. military calls Operation Iraqi Freedom. Local Iraqis are doing their part for the outdoor preparations earlier on today.

Soldiers that spend some 30 days in Iraq qualify to wear the dark green and brown combat patch on their right shoulder.

Now, technically, it's just more of a formality. The U.S. military likes to hold this tradition, this combat patch ceremony, during every conflict or every war. The commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division, Raymond Ordierno (ph), is expected to attend, and the man who helped lead the raid that caught Saddam Hussein, Colonel James Hickey (ph), is expected to speak to the troops here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And there was new violence earlier today, wasn't there, Alphonso? Can you tell us more about that?

VAN MARSH: Well, I can tell you more about preparations here in Tikrit. It's -- you have to keep in mind that this infantry division here, this forward operating base at Raider Base, is actually about an hour or so -- or an hour and a half, I should say, north of Baghdad. It's been rather isolated here today, not a lot of news about different types of violence and what-not going on.

But there is a lot of talk about this combat patch -- for U.S. soldiers that have survived the violence, that have been here more than 30 days, being able to get that combat patch that they'll wear on their right shoulder, and when they go back home being able to show it off -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Alphonso Van Marsh reporting live from Tikrit.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.